


The Long Way Around

by WoodsOfBlight



Category: Rayman (Video Games)
Genre: Adventure, Gen, Tags May Change, takes place after the games
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-23
Updated: 2021-01-31
Packaged: 2021-03-14 19:48:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,160
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28926069
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WoodsOfBlight/pseuds/WoodsOfBlight
Summary: The first skirmish of the Pirates had resulted in the catastrophic loss of Ly's birthplace. Years later, fueled by suspicions and a vague promise, she embarks on a journey to uncover the nature of this cataclysm, and whether there may yet be anything left to save.
Kudos: 2





	1. Vigil

There was a storm in the distance.

The cool air blowing past her ears was a reminder that the day was slowly coming to an end. Streaks of crimson emerged at the edge of the horizon, heralding the arrival of the night sky and its twin moons. Her unintended watch was close to its end, yet despite the goosebumps, her gaze remained unrelenting. The distance was impossible to judge, but the sight of the raging clouds compelled her all the same. An ominous gut feeling swelled in her chest, growing stronger and more pressing with each second.

A stream of blue entered her vision from the right, blotting out the weather that has enraptured her until now. The fairy flinched and raised her hand almost without intent. Every little sensation rushed her at once, from the wind to the little pinpricks in a less than ideal pose for so long. Her little guest twisted and curled around her right, blinking at the fairy with its beady little eyes. She flashed a brief smile, before returning her gaze to distant lands, only to realize that whatever imaginary point out there had grasped her until now had vanished, leaving only the clouds.

Her attention returned to the being instead, watching with some amusement as it bundled up in her palm. The soft blue glow emanated from its strange body, if a stream of energy could even be described as having such. It peeked up at her again, eliciting another, much more earnest smile.

"What brings you out here?" she asked, cheeks flashing red upon realizing how hoarse her voice sounded. Apparently quite a few hours had passed, since she arrived here.

The creature perked up and bopped her wrist a couple of times, telling the fairy in its voiceless way that it had been looking for her.

"Ah. I guess I did lose track of time." she mused.

Familiar spirits have been the companions of fairies for as long as anyone could remember. Living bundles of magic, not unlike Lums, many believed their presence was tied to the future potential of young fairies. Needless to say, the fact that so many seemed drawn to Ly had not remained unnoticed.

It would have been a lie to say their company was unwelcome. For what it's worth, these little spirits often appeared in or around her home as of late, sometimes for just seconds at a time. Even without words, they offered a comforting presence, always there the moment loneliness would set in.

Her ears perked up as she heard a noise nearby. A brief glance was more than enough to confirm the new arrival, one as much, if not more welcome than her luminescent friend. Her familiar perked up as well from its brief rest, snaking up her arm before bounding off towards the woods again.

"How did you find me?" she asked, knowing he was well within earshot already.

"Easy, I just followed the signs!" came the reply almost immediately, followed by Rayman's figure emerging from the turn in the road.

"The what?"

"The sign. 'Ly's Stele'. You've been here so often the Teensies planted a sign down the road."

"I... didn't notice." she mumbled, a bit of crimson spreading across her cheeks again. "So much for my clever hideout."

"I'd remove it, but you know them, they'll plant two more instead." the limbless remarked, hopping up on the flat slab to sit down next to her by the edge. "Room for one more?"

"You know me better than to ask that."

"It doesn't hurt to be polite." he remarked.

The fairy smiled, looking off into the distance again. Rayman joined her, even as he didn't quite know she sought beyond the horizon. It wasn't hard to guess though. This wasn't the first, nor likely the last time he found her perched up all alone here. He trusted she would speak her mind as soon as she settled her thoughts.

"I can't see it." she said, after a while.

He remained silent. He knew what she meant without needing to ask.

"It's supposed to be there, somewhere." she pointed vaguely in the direction of the darkened skies. "But I don't know anymore.

She continued without pause now, her cheeks flushing.

"I never bothered to learn. I never thought it was important to remember. Now I can't even find it."

"It's still there, Ly."

"Is it?" she snapped.

Her voice was bitter. Too little time had passed. But that wasn't his fault. It never was.

Ly sighed and cupped her face, slowly dragging her fingers down her cheeks. She didn't need to be told how much of a pointless tangent that was. "I'm sorry." she muttered. "I've been out here for too long."

"I know. Betilla was looking for you." he said.

"I can't escape from her, can I?" she chuckled, though her voice lacked humor.

"She's worried about you."

She nodded. "I'll go see her before I head home. Did she send you?"

"I bumped into her along the way."

"Were you also worried about me?"

"No. I just don't want you to be alone."

The fairy chuckled again. "As if that's possible with you around."

She reached out, gently scooping him up so he could sit in her lap instead. As always, it was hard to deny his infectous positivity. It always made it easier to speak her mind.

"Honestly, I... don't really know what I'm supposed feel." she said. "Sometimes I'm furious or I could cry for hours, but then it's just nothing. Just an empty feeling."

"Ly, it's only been a few months."

"It feels a lot longer than that." she sighed, briefly letting her chin rest on top of his head. "I'm tired."

They had only barely beaten back the first wave of those mechanical monsters, when the ground itself shook under them. The sky flashed in sickly colors and a powerful sense of doom washed over them. Everything was like a shattered mosaic from that point onwards, brief flashes of running, Anetta all but dragging them out to sea, and crashing waves threatening to overthrow their makeshift raft. A small victory overshadowed by indescribable loss.

"I know." Rayman squeezed her hand for a moment, bringing the fairy back to reality before she could slip further back into those moments.

"I'd like to go back one day." Ly said.

"Betilla says it's too dangerous right now."

"She's right. Betilla's always right." She played around with the knot on his neckerchief to keep her hands occupied. "I can wait. I just have to... to see what's left."

"Once it's safe enough, we could go together." he said.

Such a statement would have seemed like a hasty promise to some, but Ly knew him better than that. He was not the kind of person to make such a offer lightly.

"I'd like that." she sighed, smiling once again.

She continued to let her head rest on his, enjoying the tranquil moment much more than the morose watch she's been engaged in for much of the day. Rayman glanced up and patted the fairy's hand, when her breathing slowed down.

"We should be going." he said. "You'll catch a cold, if you fall asleep here."

"A few more minutes." she insisted, her voice tired, but warm. "Until sundown."

Seeing as the bright crimson sky assured that wouldn't take long now, he was content with that answer. Their gaze drifted off towards the far reaches of the sea in unison. With Rayman around, she noticed quite a few things she somehow missed or better yet ignored earlier, such as the almost crystalline clear water, or the waning sun's light upon the snowy peaks. Gentle reminders of how much her vision could narrow down. Yet even with his presence, and in spite of his soothing words, there was still a storm in the distance.

And one day, she would venture into the eye of that storm.


	2. Student

Much like any other forest, the Fairy Glade rarely changed. Many of its trees have been around for decades and while the seasons would change, as well as the inhabitants, they remained as stalwart as ever. Aside from whatever calamity would strike by the hour, this place had always been ideal for those wishing for the comfortable tranquility of a natural routine. For even after so many years, some things always remained constant.

The bustle of Teensies in the morning.

The fairies meditating in the chamber of the Heart.

And Betilla's dislike of tardiness.

Seeing Ly spring across the Glade was by no means an uncommon sight. On better days, it was with Rayman in tow. On not-so-great days, it was towards either the Council or Betilla's house, but always with less smiles and more desperate urgency. It was quite well-known that some Teensies kept a running tally of such occasions, but she never dared to ask how many it had already been.

Sure enough, even now she was more concerned with basic navigation, than numbers. It was difficult to both keep a hurried pace and not end up having to dash through thick bushes, or better yet, end up on the unwelcoming end of a tree.

Thankfully, the path she had taken was one she by heart, just as much as others did. As such, her frantic rush was aided by passerby fairies and Teensies pulling awkwardly-angled branches aside, and even her own familiar spirits acting as fluorescent blue indicators.

The end result was a late, but at least somewhat acceptable arrival by the nymph's home. Ly finally halted by the creek and let her legs rest a bit. She was still panting and while it wouldn't change anything, she preferred to keep at least some of her dignity instead of all but crashing through. She's already done that enough times over the years.

She scooped up a handful of water from below, half of it dedicated to cool her face down, and the other half to reach back and straighten her hair. While it had been her decision to let it grow out, there were times when she missed the easy days of not having to care so much for it.

A glance at the crystal-clear surface very clearly showed that she couldn't even hope to erase the dark circles under her eyes. The fairy grimaced and flicked the droplets in her hand back at the image, taking her eyes off the distorted reflection.

A few more minutes of basking in the sunlight helped calm her down enough so she could retain at least the semblance of a graceful entrance. After one last sigh, she finished up that last stretch of her walk of shame, and raised her hand to knock. Before she could make contact, the door opened up, revealing the bemused nymph she'd been rushing to meet.

"I was wondering when you'd finally come in." she said, ushering her inside.

"Good morning, Betilla." Ly mumbled. She entered the room with ears lowered and a face that could rival the nymph's bright red hair.

The derisive smile on her teacher's face was much worse than her anger. She preferred that to the embarrassment, however deserved it may have been.

"Morning? If only it were morning, Ly." she said, brow quirked. Still, she did have it in her heart not to torment her student for too long. "Tea's in the kitchen. I'll be right with you."

"Yes, Betilla." she said, walking towards the kitchen area.

A quick touch assured her that her cheeks would have needed a whole bucket of ice water this time to cool down. Still, it could have been much worse, and the fairy was sure to count her blessings to find Betilla in a good mood today. 

A still-steaming mug awaited her by the table, clearly showing that Betilla had already anticipated the delay. Even without having to check, she could easily guess that the furious dark-green colored liquid was another one of Edith Up's concoctions; a tea that could very well "make the dead jump from their coffins", as she put it.

With Betilla still away, she glanced around the room a bit. The nymph valued her privacy and made a point to live away from the Fairy Council, a notion that Ly both understood and empathized with. Just as a child, she was left wondering where all the various knick-knacks she had collected over decades may have come from.

The items ranged from more recognizable ones, like pressed flowers, all the way to more questionable articles, such as something Ly really hoped was not a real skull. Many of those had clearly come from Rayman, some of which she could even remember finding or even making alongside him.

There was also a small stone nestled in the middle of a shelf. Nothing especially ornate, just a smooth slab of stone with a glyph carved into it. Its purple contrasted wildly with the gray material, and while she's learned many symbols throughout her studies, she still could not identify that particular one. As always though, even with barely any magic radiating from it, there was a strange pull in her chest, along with the faintest outline of a face.

"Sorry for the wait." Betilla's voice hit her just as the nymph sat down by her side. "The Council never rests, not even on such a warm morning."

Ly blinked and turned away, breaking into a smile. "So you agree that rest is important?"

"That's what the nights are for, Ly, not the rest of the day." Betilla scoffed.

She took note of the grimace on her student's face as she drank. Suffice to say, the tea had more to boast about it power, than its flavor. Betilla waited till she put the mug down, her smile fading.

"Although the way I see it, you could still use more of it. Is everything alright?"

"Yes." the fairy replied, a bit faster than she intended. "I'm sorry. You know how it is."

The nymph nodded, taking a sip as well. Ly often wondered how many times she's had this tea to have grown immune to it. Or whether she was just that good at controlling herself.

"I know this is a difficult time for you." she spoke up again. "My door is always open, whenever you feel like it."

"Thank you." Ly said, her ears lowering. The mad dash to Betilla's house helped her put off thoughts about the very reason she had overslept to begin with. "Have there been any-"

"No, unfortunately. Anetta said there was recently an attempt on the shore, but it's still too dangerous."

The fairy nodded, swallowing down the brief pang of bitterness in her throat. The years have not made this topic any easier to discuss. She sighed, drinking some more. The taste was almost a tang sweet now.

"This does bring me to why I wanted you here today, though." Betilla said, rolling the edge of her bracelet between her fingers. "Rayman will be staying in Clearleaf for a few days. Apparently there's been sightings of his... doppelganger again, and he intends to investigate the rumors."

She paused briefly.

"And I'd like for you to accompany him."

"Me? Why?" Ly asked.

"Several reasons, actually. For one, you like to be around him."

"Betilla-"

The momentary embarrassment was always worth it. "Two, there is only so much I can teach you from memory or through books. The world is huge, Ly. Seeing more of it is a good lesson on its own. Even if it's just the edge of Clearleaf."

"I don't know..." she muttered, her gaze drifting lower.

"I understand if you don't want to right now." Betilla said. "That's why this isn't an order, or a request. Just a suggestion."

She placed her hand on Ly's, smiling with the kind of warmth the fairy had always known her for. "From a teacher and a friend."

The fairy perked up a little, offering a faint smile. "I'll think about it."

"That's all I ask." Betilla nodded. "Then again, if you prefer, we can revise on the advanced Teensie portal theorem from last week."

"Please, no." Ly groaned. "Never again. I can't stomach memorizing that many dance moves."

Betilla chuckled, with her student joining in after a few moments. The more she gazed at Ly, the more the memory of her as a tiny fairy bubbled up in her mind. A messy-haired lanky child, trailing along the streets in pursuit of a bunch of unfamiliar visitors. Prhys would not see outsiders very often, nymphs even less so.

She was so sure none of them had noticed her, even with the ruckus caused by leaping from one bush or wall to the next. In fact, it was much harder to ignore her and pay attention to the elders instead. That kind of curiosity intrigued her.

Her sisters were taken aback, when she first began to go off script by suggesting taking someone to the mainland under her wing. To further strengthen relations, she claimed at the time. Then again, this had been far from the first or last she would take matters into her own hands. It was either dumb luck or a stellar proof of her intuition that she was usually right.

A shadow passed over her face. _Usually._

"In any case, that's all I wanted for today." she spoke up again once Ly stopped grimacing over the last gulp. "Consider this a lesson on how important it is to enjoy some sunshine."

"I bet Rayman loved that lesson."

"I don't think I need to tell you how difficult it was to chain him down to study." she said with a coy grin. "But you always did make for excellent bait to lure him in."

"You monster." Ly chuckled, to which her mentor shrugged.

"I do what I must." she mused, before getting up and collecting their mugs "Besides, no fairy in the Council could handle either one of you, let alone both."

"Guilty as charged, I guess." her student remarked, turning towards the door. "I'll... try not to be late next time."

There was a brief moment of thought, before she stepped over and wrapped her arms around the nymph. Betilla discarded the snippy comeback and returned the gesture without a word. Once again she realized just how much Ly had grown, easily towering over her if she wasn't hovering in the air. And yet, the embrace was still like that of the scared little girl clinging to her as they arrived in the Fairy Glade for the first time.

"Thank you." she said again, once she broke the hug. "And see you soon, Betilla."

"Take care, Ly."

Her smile faded after the fairy had left. Betilla sighed, glancing at the nearby wall. Among the many little trinkets of the past was the chiseled stone Ly had eyed earlier. The glyph's purple shimmer was fading from the distance, becoming colorless once more.

"And stay safe."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not exactly a week, but so far so good, I've at least got some of the next chapter mapped out as well. Bit of a slow start, I know, but hopefully you'll find the payoff to be worth it.

**Author's Note:**

> I've had this story brewing for a long time now, and if you've been reading my previous stuff, the byline of "Ly being upset over Phrys" probably doesn't come as much of a surprise. I hope you'll enjoy the actual journey I've planned out for it! I'm aiming to see if weekly updates will work out, but even at worst, new chapters should arrive max. every 2 weeks. Finally, the art for this chapter was commissioned from @asch2inspire on Tumblr, please be sure to visit her for more great fandom and OC art!


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